Fabric feed device for sewing machines



May 31, 1955 SCHWARTZ 2,709,413

FABRIC FEED DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 8', 1952 2Sheets-Sheet l "Ill! o k 2.9 as 24 I INVENTOR. L 50 SCH WAQTZ ATTORNEYMay 31, 1955 SCHWARTZ 2,709,413

FABRIC FEED DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet2 JNVENTOR. L 50 SCH WAR TZ ATOQY United States atent FABRIC FEED DEVICEFOR SEWING MACHINES Leo Schwartz, New York, N. Y. Application December8, 1952, Serial No. 324,711 11 Claims. (Cl. 112-214) The presentinvention is directed to sewing machines, more particularly to a deviceadapted to be attached to the bed of such a machine for the purpose offeeding fabric thereto.

In many cases it is desired to not only sew a hem on a piece of fabricbut also to include therein a cord or the like in order to provide arolled portion along the edge of the fabric. It is necessary in suchcase to provide means for feeding the cord and for separately feedingthe fabric and to cause said elements to meet in the proper relationshipand to be drawn through the sewing machine.

The present invention is directed to a device of the characterdescribed, it being among the objects of the present invention toprovide a fabric feeding device which is relatively simple inconstruction and highly effective in operation.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide adevice of the character described, which may be attached to varioustypes of sewing machines and which is a complete unit in itself,requiring only attachment to a source of power.

In practicing the present invention there is provided a feeding deviceconsisting of a base with a shaft in said base adapted to be rotated,usually by the source of power for the sewing machine and usuallyconnected to the main shaft thereof. There is provided a roll on the endof the shaft, said roll being corrugated, the fabric being adapted topass over said roll.

There is also provided an idler roll on a stub shaft which is adapted tocontact the first mentioned roll. It has a peripheral groove in order toaccommodate the rolled edge of the fabric and to frictionally engage itwhile the remainder of said idler frictionally engages the fabricitself. The idler is mounted on a pivoted arm which is biased towardsthe base and means are provided for raising the arm when feeding of thefabric is no longer required. The device is preferably placed on thesewing machine behind the needle although it may be utilized to feed thefabric in other positions, if desired.

In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof, in which likereference characters indicate like parts, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a fabric feed device made inaccordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, some parts being broken awayfor clearness;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detailed fragmentary view showing the roll and idler inoperation;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the arm in raised position;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig.1;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the device, and

Fig. 8 is a front view thereof.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, plate 1 which may be secured to thebed of a sewing machine, having fixed thereto a base 2. A pair ofbrackets 3 and 4 on opposite sides of base 2 extend upwardly and aresecured thereto by bolts 5.

An arm 6 is hinged or pivoted at 7 between brackets 3 and 4. It has anopening 8 having a shoulder 9 at the upper end thereof. A threaded rod10 is held in threaded opening 11 and base 2 and is fixed in position bylock nut 12. At the upper end thereof is a spiral spring 13, the lowerend of which fits onto shoulder 9 and the upper end bears againsttension adjusting screw 14.

A shaft 15 has its right hand end fitted with a pulley or other means,not shown, for connection to a source of power. It is journaled in base2 and carries at its left end a roll 16 having longitudinal corrugations17. A stub shaft 18 has at the left end an idler roll 19 having acentral peripheral groove 20 therein.

A cam 22 is mounted on stud 22' fixed in the forward end of arm 6.Immediately below the sameand secured in base 2 is a similar stud 23carrying follower 24. A handle 25 extends from cam 22 and permits manualoperation thereof to raise or lower frame 6. There is also provided anextension 26 on cam 22 having a chain 27 extending therefrom and securedto one end of lever 28 pivoted at 29 on base 2. An operating rod 30extends downwardly from the opposite side of said lever.

In operation of the device, fabric 31 as shown in Fig. 4, has its edgerolled around cord 32, the assembly resting in groove 20 of idler 19.Handle 25 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 so that idler 19 contactsroll 16. Power is applied to the sewing machine, shaft 15 beingoperatively connected to said source of power, causing rotation of roll16 and operation of the sewing machine to form hem or stitch 33. Therotation of roll 16 draws the fabric from the needle because groove 20frictionally engages the corded edge and the flat part of the idlerengages the flat part of the fabric.

Rod 30 generally extends below the bed of the machine and is coupledeither with-a foot pedal or with a device actuated by the knee of theoperator. Thereby the raising and lowering of arm 6 may be accomplishedby the operator without the use of hands.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the general arrangement is asshown in Figs. 1 to 6. In the first described modification, the cam 22and follower 24 were placed on the side of base 2 adjacent to roll 16and idler 19. Such an arrangement is desirable in certain types ofsewing machines where there is very little space for there is provided athe mechanism. In other machines where there is ample space, the cam andfollower are placed on the right hand side of base 2, as shown in Figs.7 and 8. In such case the lever 28 is not attached to the base itself.The pivot 29' thereof is journaled in bracket 35 which rests upon and isfixed to an extension 36 of plate 1. Said plate may be considered a partof base 2. The operation of this form of device is substantiallyidentical with the operation as described above.

In order to operate cam 22 without using the hand, there is providedmeans for operation by the knee. The lower end of rod 30 contacts aninclined shoe 38 secured to angle 39, which in turn is fixed in bracket40, the upper end of which is pivoted at 41 to the under side ofplate 1. Downwardly extending arm 42 has one end secured to bracket andhas a knee pad 43 at its other end. The movement of the knee to theright swings shoe 38 upwardly and to the left lifting rod 30 and pullingdown extension 26 to raise arm 6. This leaves the hands of the operatorfree for application to other operations of the machine.

I claim:

1. A fabric feed device adapted to be placed in alinement with fabricbeing sewn on a sewing machine which comprises a base, a shaftjournalled in said base and having means for rotating the same, a rollon the end of said shaft over which said fabric is adapted to pass, anarm hinged to said base, a stub shaft carried by said arm and parallelto said first shaft, an idler roll on said stub and adapted to contactsaid roll, a peripheral groove centrally of said idler, spring means onsaid arm and base biasing said arm toward said base, a-carn andcooperating follower mounted on said arm and base, the movement of saidcam adapted to raise said arm against the tension of said spring, and ahandle on said cam.

2. A feed device according to claim 1 characterized in that there is alever pivoted on said base and a connection from said cam to one side ofsaid lever.

3. A feed device according to claim 1 characterized in that there is alever pivoted on said base and a connection from said cam to one side ofsaid lever, and an operating rod on the other side of said leverextending downwardly.

4. A feed device according to claim 1 characterized in that said cam andfollower are mounted on a side of said arm and base.

5. A feed device according to claim 1 characterized in that said cam andfollower are mounted on a side of said arm and base between said arm andsaid idler.

6. A feed device according to claim 1 characterized in that there is alever pivoted on said base and a connec tion from said cam to one sideof said lever, said lever being mounted on the front of said base.

7. A feed device according to claim 1 characterized in that a rodmounted in the upper part of said base extends through said arm, saidspring surrounding said rod.

8. A feed device according to claim 1 characterized in that a rodmounted in the upper part of said base extends through said arrn, saidspring surrounding said rod, the upper part of said rod being threadedand an adjusting nut thereon contacting with said spring.

9. A feed device according to claim 1 characterized in that a pair ofbrackets extend upwardly from the sides of said base, said arm beingpivoted between said brackets.

10. A feed device according to claim 1 characterized in that said rollis longitudinally corrugated and said idler is smooth.

ii. A feed device according to claim 2 characterized in that anoperating rod is attached to said cam and extends below said base, andmeans operable by the knee of the operator adapted to raise saidoperating'rod.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS985,733 Dirmann Feb. 28, 1911 2,229,647 Gardner et a1. Ian. 28, 19412,254,779 Myers Sept. 2, 19'41

